Federal Government and Czech Republic Collaborate to Disburse $21.7m to Beneficiaries of Delta 2 Projects
The collaborative efforts of the Federal Government and the Government of Czech Republic have culminated in the allocation of a substantial fund totalling $21.7 million to 11 carefully selected beneficiaries of the Delta 2 projects. This financial infusion aims to initiate the implementation of a project focused on enhancing technology transfer to Nigeria.
The recent award ceremony and signing of agreements for the project took place in Abuja, with Khalil Halilu, the Executive Vice Chairman of the National Agency for Science Engineering and Infrastructure (NASENI), expressing optimism about the deepening of bilateral collaboration between the two nations. Represented by NASENI and the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR), this venture marks a significant milestone in fostering mutual cooperation.
The Delta-2 Programme, fashioned as a collaborative model of the Technology Agency of Czech Republic TA CR, serves as a platform for the sponsorship of applied research and innovation activities conducted by manufacturing companies and innovative institutions.
Khalil Halilu further elaborated on the Delta 2 programme, which was launched in 2021. The programme has been strategically tailored to provide funding and support for research, development, and innovation projects in three main focus areas, namely Agriculture, Mining, and General Manufacturing for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Of the total $21.7 million earmarked for the selected projects, TA CR is contributing $11.7 million with NASENI contributing the remaining $10 million. Halilu emphasized the significance of the Delta 2 Programme, highlighting NASENI’s unwavering commitment to its mandate of transforming Nigeria’s technology and innovation landscape through sustained emphasis on Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialisation – the 3Cs.
He underscored the ultimate goal of not just producing prototypes and models, but ensuring their commercial availability for the benefit of consumers and end-users. Furthermore, he assured that NASENI’s investment in these new projects and products will yield substantial commercial returns, job creation, capacity building, and technology transfer, thereby serving Nigeria on multiple fronts.
Addressing the beneficiaries, he urged them to harness the opportunities presented to them responsibly, ensuring that the funds are utilised for their intended purposes with a strong sense of service and duty.
Dr. Muhammed Dahiru, Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer and Information between Nigeria and Czech Republic, acknowledged the pivotal role of the existing bilateral cooperation dating back to May 15, 2014, in realising this initiative. He conveyed his anticipation for the commencement of project implementation in January 2024, with the funding period spanning from 12 to 36 months.
The anticipated project outcomes include patents, pilot plants, proven technologies, software, certified methodologies, processes, specialized maps, and databases, among others. These outcomes are expected to directly benefit Nigerian farmers, miners, and MSME operators, yielding a positive impact on their livelihoods.
Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, commended NASENI for its steadfast commitment to project implementation, urging the beneficiaries to optimally utilise the resources for the betterment of the country.
